Passenger Rail Survives in GOP Transportation Bill; Let's Pass It

The GOP controlled Ohio Senate has passed its version of the Transportation bill that came over from the House. After my analysis of it, I'm glad to see that the signature provision of the bill -- applying for federal stimulus money to start up a passenger rail service between Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati -- survived. 

The GOP made some other changes to the bill. Surprisingly, I liked most of them. The changes include:

• Scraping Ohio's split speed limits and allowing trucks and school buses to also go 65 MPH statewide just like they can on the Ohio Turnpike.
• Requires that at least $15 million in stimulus money be spent in each of ODOT's 12 districts.
• Scraping a plan to allow speed cameras to be placed in construction zones.
• Removing a provision that would have allowed police to pull over motorists for no other reason than that they aren't wearing a seat belt.

Let's pass this puppy. After having to make a down and back on I-71 last night to attend OYD's St. Patrick's Day fundraiser, I'm more gung ho then I was before about 3-C passenger rail.